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Original poster

How did you know your house was "the one"?

29 replies

msfreud · 28/06/2014 14:45

Thanks for all the useful advice so far in my other posts!

My question is as in the subject - how did you know your house was "the one" when you viewed it? Especially if you've bought recently and/or in an area where the market moves very quickly?

I viewed a house today that on paper ticks all my important boxes and had a good feel about it. It didn't wow me completely but I know I would be happy living there... only I can't help thinking what if an even better house comes onto the market next week? Or maybe I should view some of the others saved in my favourites on Rightmove, maybe I should try one station further away (this is in London), with one less bedroom but a bigger kitchen, something bigger with less character etc. Is it normal to have doubts or does it mean I haven't found the right house yet?

But with the market being like it is, I know I have to offer by Monday afternoon at the latest or else one of the many others from the open day will do so.

OP posts:
Beaverfeaver2 · 28/06/2014 17:20

I knew I was yes it when I saw it online last October.
But it sold straight away and we weren't even on the market so didn't think too much about it.

Our house went on market and sold straight away.
We offered on lots of houses that wernt perfect but ok and lost out on 5.

After the last offer being declined I was browsing the local agents and spotted the house I saw in October listed again.

I alled up to make sure it was definitley available and the guy said he had just put it back on the web that afternoon as the older lady buying it pulled out at the last minute. (Beg May)

We viewed it that evening.
I knew I would live it and I had made my mind up about it as I walked through the door to find that the inside was as good as the photos were showing.

We are due to complete this coming week.

I've just been putting together a list of things I need (would like) to buy for it and it comes close to £5k already!

Hope we have some cash left over.
We aren't taking wardrobes or appliances so will need to buy a range and bedroom furniture at the minimum anyway

ChickenFajitasAndNachos · 28/06/2014 17:46

I walked through the door of my now house and thought this is the sort of house I should be living in. Every room was in the right place, the ceilings were high and I thought if I was to design a house in this price bracket then it would be exactly like this house. It just felt like coming home.

Iggly · 28/06/2014 17:51

We fell in love with this place. Walked in and couldn't stop smiling. Afterwards we were walking around in a daze. We fell for this place hard!

Big room, big garden, potential to expand. But it was very much a heart decision.

Sandthorn · 28/06/2014 18:07

Our original budget was very conservative, and we actually laughed at the mortgage "advisor" who suggested we could borrow three times as much. But while walking round to get a feel of our chosen area, we spotted one for sale on a much better street that was £15k over our budget, and we had a look just in case...

The price was fair, and the house was head and shoulders better than the others we'd looked at, and where we lived at the time. The location and aspect couldn't have been better, and even though it had a few rough edges, the best of the original features were intact, and it had personality.

Now, I sometimes wish that the plot was wide enough for a garage, or that we'd found somewhere with a downstairs loo, but at the time everything about it was an upgrade, and surpassed our expectations: one of the advantages of starting from a low baseline! And actually, our priorities at the time (location, aspect and character) are still our priorities now. If we really needed a downstairs loo, we could probably manage it. And everyone I know just fills their garage up with shite.

voiceofgodot · 28/06/2014 18:08

Don't be so sure it'll have gone under offer by Monday - things are really slowing down in London. I viewed a really nice house about a month ago at an open house (SE London; market has been bonkers this past year) but it's still not under offer now.

I wish I had the answer to that question, although I don't think it's wise to always trust that instinctive 'wow' feeling. We nearly bought a place a few years ago that we both completely fell in love with, but I think we fell in love with the idea of it, and the lifestyle, and the fact that the current owners were editors of interiors magazines and had it styled beautifully. We pulled out close to exchange and having gone back, I realised that I had overlooked some major factors because I fell in love at first sight.

HenI5 · 28/06/2014 18:10

msfreud
About this place that you've seen. I mean specifically about this place.

It ticks your boxes and it had a feel good factor. Now let me ask you. Imagine it's your home. You come back from work or you return from holiday and you go in through that front door. You invite your special friends and family or someone you want to impress and that's where they come to.

How do those thoughts pan out for you? how do you feel?

The house we bought before this one didn't tick any of our boxes at all. I was made to go and view it by someone else and the minute we walked in, I just knew we could live there and be happy and it would suit us very well and it did.

The house we have now ticked the boxes on paper but was massively over budget at the time and although it was a fantastic house it was a fix for needing somewhere rather than a stole my heart purchase. Since then I remind myself of all the positives and actually love it. I find it really hard to imagine living anywhere else now and am so glad my DH persuaded me that we could manage and should buy it.

When I look at our house I feel happy and proud and when I come through the front door I feel 'aaah home' Smile There could be other houses that would do that for me, but I don't need to know about them because I'm content.

KouignAmann · 28/06/2014 18:10

Looked online while DP was working away and we both loved this one. Agreed we would view if it was still available when he came home in February. Walked in and knew it was right! We get the keys on Tuesday...

Crazy8 · 28/06/2014 18:13

My house made me smile as I walked around the rooms. Definitely a decision made from my heart. It still makes me smile everyday.

bigTillyMint · 28/06/2014 18:20

I was pregnant with DD. DH had been dragging me round houses I could tell would be rubbish from the outside, but he found one on one of the two roads we wanted, next door to one we had seen previously which needed too much work.

I knew as soon as we pulled up outside that it was the one.

A bit like when I met DH really - I'm a gut-feeling kinda girlWink

Wait4nothing · 28/06/2014 18:25

We bought earlier this year. Ours was the first house we viewed (1st time buyers) and I loved everything about it. We viewed because the kitchen looked big on photos and it is bigger in real life! All the decoration is modern (not all entirely to our taste) so there wasn't any must do jobs (important as every penny was going into deposit ).
It made me smile and when we viewed others I compared them to this one every time!

NoArmaniNoPunani · 28/06/2014 18:26

It was the only one we could afford

nikki1978 · 28/06/2014 18:37

We wanted a specific location. This house was the only place we could find where we could make it what we want. It isn't perfect yet but our plans for it are great and it will be perfect when it is done (although we will be broke!).

Most importantly our children will now get into a very good secondary school as it is only half a mile away. This was always the main factor in my decision. We are also a 30 second walk from a village green, a mile from 2 train stations with a 25 min journey to London (we are in Surrey) and a 20 min bus ride from a large town so the kids will have plenty of opportunities when they are older. We are on the edge of the countryside and the town which is perfect for us.

Fishstix · 28/06/2014 18:40

We drove up the driveway and I saw it and was smitten. I'd have taken it just for the garden and outside of the house but the minute we walked in I adored it. It's the homiest home I have ever lived in.

BackforGood · 28/06/2014 18:51

Both my houses (and my maisonette before that) were definitely chosen by my heart / gut / "feel".
I mean, I only looked at them because they ticked enough of the boxes on my list and were almost within price range, so I suppose it was choosing from a pre-selected list, but I'm presuming you would only do that too if you are serious about buying.
Really can't help you with your choice, but it just felt like it was 'the one' when we walked in, even though, both times, we'd seen 3 houses on the same day.

foxdongle · 28/06/2014 22:15

It was last August and we hadn't even put our house up for sale.

Dh showed me this house on Rm, so we thought no harm in having a look.

We visited that day and loved it from the minute we pulled up outside, inside was even better - large and spacious, with the extra rooms we were looking for and in very good condition except for 1 bathroom (which we sorted straight after moving in)
Also masses of parking and exactly the right sized, sunny and private back garden.

The location was perfect too, near secondary school, walking distance to town, near country dog walks, parks and dcs/our friends/family.
We moved in last Autumn and feel like we've lived here years.

LawnOrnament · 28/06/2014 22:30

I knew from the location and layout which I'd seen on the rightmove ad. The Ofsted for the local school made me want to buy it even more.

As soon as we walked in I knew I wanted it. Thankfully it all worked out.

MorrisZapp · 28/06/2014 22:35

When our offer was accepted. The previous ten or so hadn't.

StairsInTheNight · 28/06/2014 22:36

I knew before I got inside, but as soon as I walked in I loved it. Walked around grinning and making faces at DP, it had been on the market ages but I loved the feel of it, so green and book and peaceful, and all the trees in the garden, the views - this is my forever house, I love it.

MrsCosmopilite · 28/06/2014 22:37

Very similar experience to Beaver
Saw something online and arranged a viewing. As soon as we walked in we felt at home and knew it was the house for us but at the time were not in a position to buy.
A week later when we were able to ascertain our financial situation (inheritance money, savings etc.), discovered the house had sold.
Saw around 10 others, but nothing quite 'felt' right. Put in an offer on one which we lost out on as we were unable to complete in sufficient time.
In the interim, we'd sold and our buyer was pushing for a completion date.
Suddenly, the house we'd fallen in love with appeared back on the market. We put an offer straight in.
After a little wrangling we agreed a price, and now it's ours.
I still smile about it every day.

EleanorHandbasket · 28/06/2014 22:44

We bought our first house because the location was ideal and the house was in budget and big enough. It wasn't a heart purchase at all although we grew to love it. It needed so much work though, and we never did finish it all.

We moved into our great big shiny new build yesterday. We fell in love with it when we first viewed it, it wasn't off plan it was nearly finished and everything about it was perfect. So far it's been a glorious experience and I keep pinching myself to make sure it's real.

VirkeligRodet · 28/06/2014 22:48

I agree with the pp. I DIDN'T. iT was the only thing that fitted my requirements that was available that I could afford. In fact I'd had my heart set on another house but the couple got back together (hooray for them). I've made it my home though. I love it now, even though as pp says, it wasn't a 'heart purchase'. I can't imagine why I didn't feel that feeling of cosiness and home when I walked through the door the first time. So don't worry if it doesn't hit you instantly I say. I have changed a few things but not that much.

VirkeligRodet · 28/06/2014 22:49

oh, PP moved on! I see. Oh well!

EleanorHandbasket · 28/06/2014 22:54

We were there for six years though, and we really did love it.

But this house, the new one, was 100% heart, if we'd listened to our heads we'd have freaked out at the cost...

Pinkje · 29/06/2014 21:31

I knew when I realised how angry I was when I thought there was an 'under offer' sign. I was mistaken but it shook me up enough to make an offer.

Maleducada · 29/06/2014 21:52

Interesting. There are a few houses, I tracked their arrival on the market, the number of views received on the site, looked through the photos, calculated the sq footage, then felt suckerpunched when I saw sale agreed go up, and I still feel that in a parallel universe...................